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🇹🇼 Taiwan /Culture & Society

TV Actresses Find Film Roles More Challenging, Discover Realities of Marginalized Lives

From Liberty Times · () Chinese

Translated from Chinese, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

In-depth Named sources Context piece
  • Actors Zheng Zhongyin and Fang Xin found acting in the film "The Great Immortal" more challenging than their regular TV roles.
  • The film explores themes of street dwellers, teahouses, and marginalized individuals in Wanhua, Taipei.
  • Both actresses shared emotional experiences during filming, finding depth in portraying complex characters and discovering unexpected realities about the subjects.

Actresses Zheng Zhongyin and Fang Xin, accustomed to the fast-paced demands of Taiwanese television dramas, found the experience of acting in the film "The Great Immortal" to be unexpectedly challenging and emotionally resonant. The movie, which premiered at the Taoyuan Film Festival, delves into the lives of street dwellers, teahouse workers, and other marginalized individuals in Taipei's Wanhua district, centering on the unifying message that "we are all the same."

You tell me how I can help you.

— Zheng ZhongyinThis line emotionally affected Fang Xin during a scene, leading to tears and strengthening their bond.

Fang Xin initially underestimated her role, believing a few scenes would be simple. However, she soon realized the difficulty of conveying a character's entire life story in a limited time, admitting to experiencing frustration during filming. A pivotal moment occurred when Zheng Zhongyin asked her, "Tell me, how can I help you?" This question unlocked Fang Xin's emotions, leading to tears and strengthening their on-screen and off-screen bond.

Zheng Zhongyin echoed these sentiments, noting that while television dramas require rapid emotional expression, films allow for deeper character exploration. Her research for the role involved visiting Wanhua teahouses, where she encountered women who, against societal perceptions, had raised children and even purchased homes through their own efforts. One woman's statement, "I don't steal or rob, I just raise my children," deeply moved Zheng.

I don't steal or rob, I just raise my children.

— Teahouse workerA statement that deeply moved Zheng Zhongyin during her research for the film.

Director Ling Baiwei shared that the casting process for "The Great Immortal" attracted over 1,000 applicants in just three days. He emphasized a casting approach that amplifies actors' inherent traits rather than forcing them into roles. He highlighted how actor Mu Sen's independent spirit, Fan Yi-chen's hidden inner self, and Hong Duolasi's nurturing demeanor, reminiscent of a community elder, perfectly suited their respective characters, including the "homeless community manager."

Why would someone with good hands and feet become a homeless person?

— Hong DuolasiA question that sparked curiosity in actor Hong Duolasi about the lives of the homeless.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Liberty Times in Chinese. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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